How to make sweet bao buns at home: the foolproof recipe with rice flour
Nutella Bao Buns: the secret to pure-white, ultra-soft steamed buns
Bao Buns: how to avoid yellowish or deflated buns
Let’s be honest: the appeal of Bao Buns is all in their porcelain-white color and that texture that feels almost like a cloud.
The most common problem when trying to make them at home? They often come out of the steamer slightly yellowish, wrinkled on the surface or, worse, they deflate as soon as you lift the lid.
Many blame the yeast, but often the secret lies in the acidity of the water and patience during proofing.
To get that restaurant-style porcelain white, we’ll use a small chef’s trick: vinegar in the cooking water.
Also, adding rice flour to the dough ensures an unmatched lightness, making the bun less like “bread” and more like “pastry”.
Don’t be scared by the times: while the bao rise, you can relax. The result will be a smooth, elastic bun ready to hold a generous spoonful of Nutella that, with the residual heat of the bun, will become even more inviting.
- Difficulty: Medium
- Cost: Low cost
- Rest time: 2 Hours 30 Minutes
- Preparation time: 45 Minutes
- Cooking time: 30 Minutes
- Portions: 16 buns
- Cooking methods: Stovetop
- Cuisine: Italian
Ingredients for Bao Buns
- 2 cups Manitoba (high-gluten) flour
- 1 2/3 cups 00 flour (Italian all-purpose)
- 1/3 cup rice flour
- 5 tbsp granulated sugar
- 1/2 cup + 1 tbsp warm water (warm)
- 1/2 cup + 1 tbsp whole milk (at room temperature)
- 1 packet (2 1/4 tsp) active dry yeast
- 1 tbsp vegetable oil
- 1 tsp fine salt
- 3 tbsp white wine vinegar (for the cooking water)
- as needed Nutella® (for filling)
Tools
- Kitchen scale
- Stand mixer
- Bowl
- Rolling pin
- Parchment paper
- Baking sheet
- Saucepan
- Bamboo steamer basket
How to make sweet bao buns at home
In the stand mixer bowl, combine the three flours (Manitoba, 00 and rice) with the sugar. Dissolve the yeast in the warm water and pour it into the flour together with the milk. Start working with the paddle at low speed. Once the ingredients are combined, add the oil and salt, then switch to the dough hook. Knead until the dough is elastic and smooth and cleans the sides of the bowl (the dough should be properly developed). Put the dough to rise, covered with plastic wrap, in the turned-off oven with the light on for about 2 hours or until doubled in size.
Turn the dough out onto the work surface (no need to flour, it’s very elastic!) and divide it into 16 pieces of about 1.8–1.9 oz each (≈52–55 g). Shape smooth balls by rotating them under the palm of your hand. Roll each ball with the rolling pin to form a disk about 4 3/4 in in diameter. Fold the disk in half to form the classic half-moon, but beware: place a small square of parchment between the two layers, otherwise they will seal during cooking!
Let the half-moons proof on a tray covered for another hour.
Prepare a saucepan with water and the white wine vinegar (the secret for the white color!). Pierce the parchment that will line the bottoms of the bamboo steamer baskets. When the water boils, reduce the heat to the lowest setting, place the baskets with the baos (spaced apart, as they will expand!) and steam for 15 minutes.
Once cooked, let them cool slightly before removing the internal parchment and filling them with a generous drizzle of Nutella.
Ingredients and Substitutions
The Flours: Rice flour is essential for the texture, but if you can’t find it you can use all 00 flour, knowing the buns will be slightly less airy.
The Vinegar: Don’t worry, it won’t leave any flavor! It only helps whiten the dough via the steam.
Storage
Bao buns are best eaten warm. If you have leftovers, store them in a freezer bag and reheat them for 30 seconds in a steamer or a few seconds in the microwave to restore softness.
Tips
Never open the steamer lid abruptly at the end of cooking: the thermal shock can wrinkle the surface. Wait one minute after turning off the heat.
FAQ (Questions & Answers)
Can I fill them before cooking?
In this half-moon version it’s better to fill them after cooking so the Nutella remains creamy and glossy. If you shape them as closed buns (baozi style), you can fill them before cooking, but managing the proofing becomes more complex.
I don’t have a bamboo steamer, what can I use?
You can use a regular metal steamer or a large sieve placed over a pot, taking care to cover with a lid wrapped in a kitchen towel (to prevent condensation drops from falling on the buns).
Can I freeze them?
Yes! You can freeze them after cooking. When you want one, simply reheat it in the steamer for a couple of minutes directly from frozen.
